Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-01-15
Scraps Of Chronicle History for the Past
Five Decades EmpIoyer-Mv Ap.
prenticeship-Th Jeffersonian, Etc.


Five Decades EmpIoyer-Mv Ap.
prenticeship-The Jeffersonian, Etc.
To the Chronicle:
Forty-three years ago last Augus'.
"we"-if you will allow me to use me
editorial style-entered the then old
CHRONICLE Office to learn "the art
preservative," under the prince OF
Journalism of that day. Ewing Pike
McGinty, than whom no better man
ever lived in this. community. He
came here poor boy, with widowed
mother and three sisters-the sisters,
Mrs. George w. Leigh, Mrs. T. A..
Thomas and Mrs. Ed. Thomas, survive
him. Mr.. McGinty learned the print
ing business under Mr.. Richardson,
then owner and publisher of the
CHRONICLE. We think this was about
the year 1928, and, if we are cor
rectly informed, was edited by Judge
w. w. Overton, who is yet an honored
citizen of this county. After his APP
premiership expired he became editor
and proprietor of the paper. He was
a sel-made man, and welded great in
huence as political writer. In social
circles and in the chGFch was model
Christian gentleman served term in
the Legislature; sold the CHRONICLE to
the late and lamented r. w. Thomas in
1849; removed to Nashville; became
editor of the True Whig," the
leading political paper IN the State,
sustained and added to his reputation
but died in few years after, honored
and esteemed throughout the country
We merely epltomize in regard to him,
as to 60 into detail would require more
space than can be allowed in news
paper article-also because but few
now residents of Clarksville. were per-
sonally acquainted with him.
After Mr.. Thomas took possession oil
the CHRONICLE he gave me the.position
of foreman, and, if memory serves me
correctly, he had no competitor until
1913, when Mr.. Perry, OF Russelville,
KY, started the Jefiersonian, just prior
to the Presidential campaign of 1874
AS we write from memory alone we
may frequently err as to exact dates,
but we will approach accuracy both as
regards dates and facts. E. Howard
Esq, was editor of the JEFF" and the
man who coped with him met "a foe
man worthy of his steel.'' Mr.. Perry
sold out to Mr.. G. Faxon, of Buffalo, N
Y, father of our esteemed fellow-cit-
izens ]. w. and G. B. Faxon, who had
already brought with him an excellent
printing Office, and continued the pub
lication of that staunch Democratic
journal until the outbreak of the late
cival war. Mr.. Charles Faxon's eldest
son, G. 0. Faxon, became editor of the
paper after the retirement of f. How
ard, and many now residing here, re-
collect his able and elaborate editorials
and his trenchant wit. He had few
equals and no superior as political
writer, in the State. After the suspen-
sion OF the Jefiersoniar, he became
editor OF the Courier.Journal, in which
capacity, as editor-in-chief, he added
fresh laurels to his already well-earned
reputation, but consumption cut him
down in the prime OF his manhood and
usefulness. Poor Charley, he was my
friend, at the type-stand and in the
sanctum, and we throw this evergreen
upon the sod which covers his remains.
After the close of the war the CHRoN-
ICLE was again the only paper in the
city until Mr.. NJ. v Ingram established
the Tobacco Leaf. OF the Tjbacco Leaf,
your readers are as we'll or even better
posted than your humble correspond.
ent, who has been "cabined, cribbed
and confined" within four square walls
for the past nine years. As TO the Leaf
and CHRONICLE during Mr.. Thomas
time and that OF Mr.. Ingram,
we can say that but few papers were con
Quoted with more marked ability.
In October, 1857, Mr.. Thomas
sold the CHRONICLE office and fixtures
to Neblett & Grant, and the new firm
retained Mr.. Thomas as political editor.
He was one OF the most chaste, grace
full and profound writers olhis day,
was man of deep culture, warm heart